Last month both houses of Congress have now passed a bill that would allow ski resorts operating on U.S. Forest Service land to more easily build infrastructure for summer activities, such as disc-golf courses, rope courses, mountain bike terrain parks and zip lines.

But Boulder County residents shouldn’t hold their breath for those activities to come to Eldora Mountain Resort anytime soon. The ski area, which operates on a mix of Forest Service and private land, finished a master plan earlier this year that calls for replacing some old chairlifts, adding new high-speed lifts, opening more terrain and renovating the lodge. What it doesn’t call for is any summertime activities.

“At the current time, we have no plans to change our game plan,” said Eldora spokesman Rob Linde.

Linde did say he believes the bill is good for the ski industry as a whole and that the legislation “leaves the door open” for Eldora to consider summer activities in the future.

“Colorado is world-known for being an amazing venue for winter recreation, but for too long, ski areas on public lands have been limited in the types of activities they can offer to both residents and tourists,” Sen. Mark Udall said in a statement. “This bill doesn’t cost taxpayers a cent and, with just a small change, can create jobs in mountain communities across the country.”

The bill would amend the National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986, which limits the types of activities that the U.S. Forest Service can permit at ski areas to “nordic and alpine skiing.” Udall’s bill expands the allowed activities to include all snow sports as well as other forms of outdoor recreation that “harmonize with the natural environment” and that can exist within the developed areas of the ski resort, including zip lines, mountain bike terrain parks and rope courses. The bill would specifically forbid tennis courts, water slides, water parks, swimming pools, golf courses and amusement parks.

Now, many of the summer activities at Colorado ski resorts are on private land.

Mike Barrow, who serves on the board of the Boulder Mountainbike Alliance, said he thinks Eldora is missing out on a great opportunity by not pursuing the possibility of running lifts in the summer for mountain bikers.

“Lift-supported cycling is really taking off at most of the other ski resorts in the state,” he said. “(Eldora) could develop a summer product that would give them more of a year-round revenue stream.”